PHILIPSBURG:--- Happy Caribbean Literature Day to all our St. Martin authors, poets, and book lovers, and in particular to House of Nehesi Publishers, a leading publisher in the region whose original idea it was to have a special day like this set aside to celebrate our creative geniuses.
I’m proud to note that Caribbean Literature Day started in St. Martin 5 years ago and has been steadily spreading all over the world ever since.
The importance of reading cannot be overemphasized. We are all familiar with the saying, “Readers are leaders.” We should, therefore, instill the love for reading in our children if we truly want them to be the leaders of tomorrow. The best way to achieve this, in my humble view as a reader, is to have them read authors whose works they can relate to culturally and speak to their own existential experience.
However, making reading fun and attractive to children and even adults is not a task for government alone. Everyone of us should be involved in this endeavor: from the home to our schools and beyond.
On a day like this, we should be able to say, “I’m a Reader proudly!” Especially in Caribbean Literature.
Have a joyful Caribbean Literature Day!
